Distance Runners Rewrite Record Book at Colorado

BOULDER, Colo. – The all-time standings of two Air Force distance events received a major upgrade this afternoon (Jan. 29), as a handful of runners traveled to Boulder for the Colorado Invitational. Highlighted by a trio of Top 10 performances, the Falcons combined for 14 additions to the program's Top 25 lists in the mile and 3000-meter run.

AIR FORCE TOP-10 MARKS
Men's 3000-Meter Run: Ryan Ioanidis, 7:57.22a (No. 4 all-time)
Women's 3000-Meter Run: Tiaree Towler, 9:34.52a (No. 6 all-time)
Men's Mile Run: Scott Maison, 4:03.33a (No. 9 all-time)

FIRST-PLACE FINISHES
Men's Open Mile Run: Luke Combs, 4:11.46

Senior Ryan Ioanidis highlighted the Falcons' day in Boulder, as he posted the fourth-fastest 3000-meter time in Air Force history. Clocking an altitude-converted time of 7:57.22a (8:10.83 raw), Ioanidis finished fourth out of 35 runners – and led five Falcons to finishes within the top half of the overall field and a place on the program's Top 25. Junior Ethan Marshall and senior Will Kitzhaber joined Ioanidis in the Top 10 of the overall race, as Marshall placed eighth in 8:20.40 (8:06.53a – No. 16 all-time) and Kitzhaber finished 10th with a time of 8:21.18 (8:07.29a – No. 17 all-time). Sophomore Eli Bennett finished just one spot back in 11th (8:22.32/8:08.39a – No. 18 all-time), while junior Ryan Johnson rounded out the list of Falcons to make an adjustment to the program's all-time standings after clocking an adjusted time of 8:11.69a to debut at No. 22 in the Air Force Record Book (8:25.71 raw).

Backed by freshman Tiaree Towler recording the sixth-fastest time in Air Force history (9:34.52a), the women made four improvements to their column of the 3000-meter standings. Towler clocked a distance debut of 9:50.90 (raw) to finish 10th out of 33 runners, while classmate Halle Hamilton debuted in 21st on the all-time list following her event debut of 9:59.48a (10:16.57). Sophomore Rayna Fruchey moved up three spots to No. 22 all-time following her 9:59.85a (10:16.96) performance and senior Adrianna Wilder registered the program's 23rd-fastest time – 9:59.98a/10:17.09 – to earn her record book debut.

Junior Scott Maison clocked a raw time of 4:09.41 to finish fifth in the seeded section of the mile, while his altitude-converted time of 4:03.33a – the ninth-fastest mark in Air Force history – allowed him to move into the program's Top 10 after debuting in 13th last week. Maison was one of two Falcons' to impact the program's Top 25, as sophomore Luke Combs debuted at No. 15 with an altitude-converted time of 4:05.33a. Crossing the finish line in an actual time of 4:11.46, Combs won the open mile by 0.21 seconds and was one of two Falcons to place within the top third of the 18-runner field (sophomore Bryce Lentz, sixth at 4:14.79 actual).

The all-time standings of the women's mile also received an update in the meet, as freshman Sydney Weaber paced a trio of Falcons to Top-25 times – and top-five finishes. Weaber clocked the 23rd-fastest time in Air Force history – 5:00.90a (5:08.52 raw) – to finish third out of the 13 runners in the field, while classmate Lindsey Peters and senior Jenna Kill rounded out the program's Top 25 marks by finishing fourth (5:01.15a, 5:08.67) and fifth (5:01.22a, 5:08.75), respectively, in the race.

In addition, seniors Frank Rossi and Garrett Blenkush made their 2022 debuts in the 800-meter run today at CU's Indoor Practice Facility. Rossi clocked a career-best time of 1:52.35 (1:51.63a) to finish second in the 12-man event, while Blenkush posted a 1:55.55 (1:54.81a) in his season opener to finish sixth overall.

Air Force returns to the Academy next Friday (Feb. 4) to host the Invitational at the Peak.

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